Many – if not most – images on the internet are subject to copyright, meaning that using them without permission would infringe on the copyright holder's rights. However, there are two broad categories of images that can be reused safely: public domain images and images licensed under a Creative Commons license. 

Public domain images are either old enough that the copyright term has expired or the copyright holder has willingly relinquished their copyright claim. Since 1978, the copyright term for all protected works lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years, with special provisions for works with no known author. 

Creative Commons (CC) licenses were designed as a free, simple, and standardized system for authors to preemptively grant permission for others to copy, use, and distribute their works. There are six standard Creative Commons licenses that clearly outline how you can use a work and what restrictions exist. If an image is licensed under a Creative Commons license, you do not need to obtain explicit permission from a copyright holder to use it; you just have to comply with the provisions of the particular license.

Learn more about finding usable resources and explore different platforms at the links below.